1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a musical tone generating apparatus capable of controlling musical parameters of a musical tone signal in response to performance information generated by performing a keyboard and the like.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, the musical tone generating apparatus provides performance information generating means such as the keyboard, and musical tone signal generating means. Based on the performance information generated from the performance information generating means, the musical tone signal generating means generates the musical tone signal. Herein, by varying the musical parameters of the musical tone signal in response to the performance information, the desirable variation can be given to the musical tone signal in response to the performer's will so that the performance expression can be full of variety. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-34473 discloses the known electronic musical instrument which provides a change-over switch consisting of first and second fixed contacts and movable contact. This movable contact moves between first and second fixed contacts in connection with the key-operation. In the key-depression event, an initial-touch is detected by measuring time while the movable contact moves from first fixed contact to second fixed contact. In the key-release event, a release-touch is detected by measuring time while the movable contact returns from second fixed contact to first fixed contact. In response to the above-mentioned detection results, a tone-volume envelope and musical parameters such as the portamento to be applied to the musical tone signal are controlled.
As described above, the prior art offers several kinds of methods of controlling several musical parameters by use of the performance information (e.g., initial-touch, release-touch etc.) to thereby improve the performance expression of the musical tone generating apparatus. However, in order to further improve the performance expression of the musical tone generating apparatus, it is demanded that the musical parameters of the musical tone signal are controlled by the brand-new method other than the above-mentioned conventional methods.